At First Glance
by Mirai-Phoenix
Summary: Shoujo -Ai. While trying to get away from the others, Suzuka takes a job but is paired with the one she was trying t get away from the most.
1. Ghosts from The Past

Twilight Suzuka. Known throughout the galaxy as one of the most deadly assassins   
in the business. Once she takes a job, it can be considered done, as long as you   
can pay. She is known for striking precisely at sunset, hence her name. None of   
her targets have anything to fear until that time.   
But little else is known about this beautiful assassin. It has been said   
recently that she has joined as crew for a private star ship, but these rumors   
are unconfirmed.  
What drives this woman?   
Dose she search for something? Or someone?  
What secrets lie within her heart?  
  
  
OUTLAW STAR: AT FIRST GLANCE  
PART ONE   
GHOSTS OF YESTERYEAR  
  
NEAR BLUE HEAVEN  
  
Aboard the star craft known as the Outlaw Star, five people, each with   
different pasts, work together to get through the endless expanse of space. In   
the cockpit, Gene Starwind, the de facto captain, sat in the central seat,   
looking over the various indicators of the ship. A tall man with a wild shock of   
red hair, he smiled to himself as he looked about the cabin.   
In front of him was the ship's chief, and only, engineer, Jim Hawking.   
Many would have called Gene insane for giving such an important position to a 10   
year old boy, but Gene had known the young boy for a long time and the two had   
been through much together. Jim may still be waiting puberty, but all who knew   
the duo could and would swear that he was the mature one. Also in charge of the   
ships' and the crews, finances, Jim was often planning ahead, since Gene would   
not. Gene smiled to himself, he didn't say so often, but he like the boy, and   
would not still be alive if not for him.  
The outlaw did not need to turn around to know that Melfina, the ships   
navigator was in her interface tube. An artificially constructed being, Mel was   
often besieged with questions of the meaning of her existence. When she wasn't   
floating naked in the tube, a sight Gene often tried to ignore for the good of   
his blood pressure, the girl could usually be found in the kitchen, preparing   
meals for everyone.  
A flash of black to his right reminded him of the elegant woman seated at   
ships systems. Twilight Suzuka moved with a clam sense of purpose in everything   
she did, making the simplest of movements graceful. One would never be able to   
guess from looking that she was also one of the most dangerous assassins in the   
galaxy. Thou she had not taken any such assignments for some time, she often   
provided a boost the Outlaw Stars' funds by doing some bounty hunting at the   
various places they stopped at. Gene allowed himself a small smirk at the   
thought of the only time she ever failed an assignment.  
A small noise to the left, a happily repeated 'meow', reminded him of the   
Outlaw Star's most annoying, in his opinion, crew member. Aisha Clanclan, the   
only non-human on board, was a Catarl Catarl, a race of felinoids with a fierce   
reputation as fighters. Gene had seen her in action enough times, more then once   
against himself, to know the truth behind the reputation to be, if anything,   
understated. He suppressed the urge to tell her to shut up as she tapped away at   
her station, sensors, knowing that it would only end with a long triad about the   
greatness of the Catarl Catarl, and herself in particular.  
"Blue Haven is within communication range." Gilliam, the Outlaw Star's   
computer informed them.  
"Alright Gilliam, open a link." Gene commanded.  
"Outlaw Star, this is Blue Haven Approach. Please state your purpose and   
the length of your stay." The soft, feminine voice of the Approach operator   
sounded over the speakers.  
"We read you Approach. This is Gene Starwind, captain of the Outlaw Star,   
we just need to resupply. We should only need about five days total."  
"Understood Captain Starwind, proceed on approach to hanger 12. Welcome to   
Blue Heaven."  
Suzuka blocked Gene's voice as he tried to flirt with Approach; she had   
other things on her mind. A discreet use of the comm. array, easily overlooked   
thanks to Gene's ever reliable libido, got her in contact with Taki, her...   
friend at Blue Haven. The tall assassin had met the equally cool brunette years   
ago when one of her assignments coincided with Taki's. The man was apparently   
more disliked then either had thought. After completing the job, the two women   
had stayed in touch with each other over the years, meeting once or twice a year   
outside of business. Suzuka was never really sure who found out the others   
secret first, but one morning saw her waking with the other girl in her arms.  
After a few days of tension, they reestablished their relationship to the   
others satisfaction. Though they never made more of their feelings, the two knew   
they would always have someone to be with. A few years ago, Taki had retired   
from field work and had taken a position in her clan at Blue Haven. She smiled   
when Taki's face appeared on her board.  
"Well, well. Suza-chan, I didn't expect to see you again so soon. What   
brings you back here?" The Ninja Mistress smiled at her.  
"We're just passing though Taki-chan." Suzuka told her, "We'll be in for a   
few days and I was wondering if you had some free... assignments."  
Taki smirked and looked off-screen for a second before looking back.   
"Well, I think I could come up with something. See you at the usual place?"  
The raven-haired woman nodded with a smile. "I'll meet you there." She   
closed the link and resumed listening to her 'captain.'  
"...on! I know of a great place near there, we can get a meal, go for a   
walk..." Gene got no farther when Approach cut the link. Jim snickered.  
"Way to go Gene, you had her eating out of your palm alright."   
Suzuka smiled and shock her head; she needed to get away from here as soon   
as they docked. All of them needed it she thought, as she prepared the ship of   
docking, especially after the near failure of their last job. Behind her,   
Aisha's ear twitched.  
"Hmmm, so Suzie has an assignment for herself. I think I'll follow her,   
maybe get the money myself. Hump, that'll show that stuck up human to look down   
on a Catarl Catarl warrior, especially Aisha Clanclan."  
  
****  
  
THE JADE SERPENT  
BLUE HEAVEN  
  
To most of the people of Blue Heaven, the Jade Serpent was a great place   
to eat a quick but good meal. But to a few, those who had the right connections,   
it was a place to hire some of the best assassins in the quadrant. The ninja   
mistress of the area, a petite,  
slip of a girl named Taki, was often seen walking among the tables as the   
hostess of the restaurant. Those who were seeking something not on the menu   
would speak to this woman and, after a few days, their problem would be gone.   
Sometimes, a customer would not want to pay and, more then once, would assume   
Taki was just a pretty middle woman and try to force there way out. Those few   
usually found that the Ninja Mistress was just as capable as her field agents.  
Twilight Suzuka walked in from the outside street and spotted Taki by the   
bar, after politely refusing a table from the waiter; she walked to the bar and   
ordered a green tea.  
"Suza-chan, so good to see you again." Taki smiled grasping the taller   
woman's shoulders and placing a kiss on both cheeks. Suzuka smiled and covered   
Taki's hands with her own.  
"As always, Taki-chan, it is a pleasure to see you as well." Suzuka   
smiled. "Shall we go to a booth?"  
Taki nodded and the two women left the bar to head to the back of the   
restaurant where other business was often discussed. Suzuka allowed Taki to   
enter the booth first before sliding in after her. Once out of casual sight,   
Suzuka abandoned her normal aloofness and pulled the smaller woman against her,   
her lips seeking Taki's. When they pulled apart, both women were breathing   
faster. Taki gave Suzuka a small smile.  
"Well now, not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?" Suzuka gazed   
into her friend's eyes for several seconds before responding.  
"I have missed you Taki-chan, it's been harder then I thought to work with   
others again."  
Taki looked at her old friend thoughtfully. She had rarely seen Suza-chan   
so upset, it was almost like... Taki blinked as a thought occurred to her.  
"So tell me what you've been up to. Last I heard, you and the, Outlaw Star   
wasn't it, were in the Antiga system doing some job for a company."  
Suzuka's mouth twisted into a frown as she remembered, "Yes, a band of   
poachers was taking animals from the companies endangered species preserve. We   
cornered them in the mountains but that... animal... botched everything up and   
they got away. The only good thing about that escapade was that we got the   
animals back, so we got half of the reward money."  
"By 'animal' I assume you mean that other woman, what was her name?"  
"Aisha Clanclan, a Catarl Catarl. She's been something of a thorn in our   
sides for as long as she's been with us. She invited herself to join saying   
something to the effect that she owned the Outlaw Star." Taki raised an eyebrow,   
surprised at the level of emotion this woman could get out of her long-time   
friend and sometimes lover. "So you this Aisha is the one responsible for the   
problem?"  
"She has no sense of subtlety, no tact and most defiantly no sense of   
teamwork. She just walked right into the camp after we had already decided to   
sneak in. It was fortunate that the poachers were surprised by the stupid move   
enough so that the rest of us could get to her in time to prevent the whole mess   
from blowing up, literally." Taki recognized the signs of frustration from her   
long association with Suzuka and gave her a half-smile.  
"I see. So you actually wanted a real assignment then?" Suzuka nodded.  
"Yes, I could us a chance to blow off some steam, a nice bounty hunt   
sounded like just the thing." The tall assassin smiled at the smaller one, "That   
and spending some time with you." Taki smiled.  
"You flatter me." She pulled a small notepad from her vest and looked   
through it. "Well is an outstanding bounty on a character calling himself   
Heaven's Vengeance or some such nonsense. He's managed to escape capture for a   
few months now, last I heard. He has a bunch of combat robots to do his biding,   
his 'Avenging Angels' if I remember correctly." Suzuka blinked and smiled.  
"Sounds perfect. I just have to get by a dozen or so combat robots then?"  
Taki sweetdroped at the almost eager look in Twilight Suzuka's eyes. "Um,   
yes about that, he had sixteen at the last report I got. I would recommend   
taking someone with you though."  
"No, there isn't anyone around here that I know well enough besides you   
that I would trust with watching my back."  
"Aw Suzie, I'm hurt!" A new voice intruded. Both women turned in surprise   
to look at a smugly grinning Aisha. "After all we've been through together. I   
would think that you would jump at the chance to work with Aisha Clanclan of the   
great Catarl Catarl Empire!" Suzuka had paled when she had first seen the   
catwoman, but she recovered quickly and frowned at Aisha.  
"And why, pray tell, would I want to work with a beast like you?" She   
asked scornfully.  
Aisha growled her form swelling slightly with her anger. "Who are you   
calling a beast? I'll have you know I can do anything you can do, but better.   
I'll bring in this bounty by tomorrow morning!"  
"Please. This requires grace and subtlety, neither of which you have!"  
Taki had looked from one woman to the other through out their exchange, an   
idea forming in the back of her mind. With a smile, she slipped out the other   
side of the booth and stepped between the two. "Now, now ladies, let's be civil   
about this." She turned to Aisha and leaned against the table as she gazed at   
the Catarl Catarl. "I normally don't like to send an unknown on any of my   
assignments; I'll need to... test you." She told the woman.  
"Test me? No problem, bring it on. I'll beat your little test without   
breaking a sweat!"  
"I was hoping you'd say that." Taki purred, gliding right up to Aisha. Her   
arms wrapped around a startled Aisha's lightly furred neck. "Hmm... I had heard   
that a Catarl Catarl's ears are sensitive," She whispered, one hand already   
tracing one.  
Aisha suppressed a shiver as she tried to get her hear rate back down. "I,   
I don't see what that has to with anything." She asked in a shaking voice.   
Suzuka's eyes were almost as wide as Aisha's at Taki's actions.  
"Taki, what are you doing? She's not like us." Aisha, her mind already   
whirling and confused by the unexpected touches, took Suzuka's statement in a   
way it was not intended.  
"What do you mean Suzie? I'll have you know I can do anything just as good   
as you!" Taki smiled, that was too good a line to pass up.  
"Let's see about that." Without giving the other woman a chance to ask,   
the Ninja Mistress leaned up and claimed Aisha's lips with her own. Both Aisha's   
and Suzuka's eyes threatened to pop out of their heads, but soon, Aisha's   
emerald eyes had acquired a glaze as she was expertly kissed senseless. When   
Taki finally stepped back, Aisha continued to stand where she was, a blank look   
on her face. Suzuka, however, was not pleased.  
"Are you crazy Taki? Aisha is not interested in other women! We need to   
get out of here before she comes too, who knows what she'll do." She already had   
her bokken out and pointed at the stunned woman as she eased out of the booth.   
Aisha's body shuddered as she closed her eyes and lifted a trembling hand to her   
lips. Suzuka froze and moved between Taki and Aisha, determined to keep her   
friend safe. Aisha opened her eyes and glared around Suzuka.  
"What was that all about?" Taki, having not moved since she finished   
kissing her, just smirked.  
"I said I would have to test you. Congratulations, you passed." Both crew   
women blinked and looked at Taki with almost identical expressions of shock.  
"That was your test?"  
"What sort of test was that?"  
Taki leaned against the table and smiled at both women. "My sort of test."   
She answered. "So here's the deal. If one of you brings him in, I'll pay that   
one." She raised a finger to cut off both as she continued. "However, if you   
both bring him in, I'll double the bounty."  
"Neow, how much is the bounty anyway?"  
"One hundred thousand wong."  
Aisha and Suzuka blinked at the smirking woman. "A hundred thousand wong   
for one guy? What'd he do? Kill a governor?" Aisha asked incredulously.  
"Well no, but not for lack of trying." Taki replied. "He made an attempt   
on the life of Governor Salvador about three weeks ago and four other incidents   
have been linked to him since then. The local defense forces are, as usual out   
here, less then useless so his Excellency made arrangements with me yesterday."   
Suzuka raised a brow.  
"The governor himself?" Taki chuckled and shook her head.  
"No, it was through an intermediary, but I knew who he worked for. Can't   
have a notable political figure seen hiring assassins you know. How would that   
look at the next election?" She answered with an amused smirk.  
"Hmmm... So where is this goof ball?" Aisha demanded. Taki smiled wider at   
the impatient woman.  
"Last word was that he was in the Field, about thirty klicks out, on one   
of the lager rocks. He has an underground base built there. I'll have a sled and   
some suits ready for you in an hour. The sled will drop you off with a portable   
pulse beacon. When you finish or need to pull out, get to the surface and   
trigger it. It has a fifty second life, so you only get one shot at extraction.   
If you miss it, you're on your own."  
Aisha blinked but said nothing, slightly thrown off by the formally   
cheerful, if sardonic, woman's change of demeanor. Suzuka merely nodded, used to   
dealing with Taki when she was in business mode. She was actually being more   
generous then usual, in most assignments like this, the beacon wouldn't be give.   
The assassin either succeeded or was killed.  
"I understand. I will be ready in thirty minutes."  
"Huh? Hey! You're not gunna get a head start on me Suzie! I'm ready now!"   
Aisha proudly told Taki, a thumb jabbed between her breasts and a smirk on her   
face. Suzuka sighed and rolled her eyes, causing Taki to smother a giggle.  
"Your eagerness is admirable my dear. But weather you're ready now or in   
thirty minutes, the sled won't be until an hour. Please, sit and enjoy a meal,   
on the house." Leaving the two with a bright smiles and a conspiratorial wink,   
though neither woman was sure why, the assassin mistress walked toward the   
kitchens. Aisha blinked and tilted her head with a soft 'neow' before looking at   
Suzuka.  
"You know Suzie," She told her companion, "You're friend is weird."  
Suzuka glared at the Catarl warrior next to her before setting herself   
back in the booth. "Kettle thou art black." She said, to Aisha's confusion,   
"Besides, you have yet to explain why or how you are here." Aisha blinked and   
smiled, sliding opposite Suzuka.  
"Oh that was easy, I heard you talking to that woman before we pulled in   
and I decided to follow you and show you how a Catarl Cartarl warrior handles a   
bounty hunt." She told the other woman with pride. Suzuka blinked a few times   
before sighing again.  
"Only you would be proud of the fact that you eavesdropped." She mumbled.   
Not feeling like continuing the conversation, the dark-haired woman picked up a   
menu and began to decide on her meal.  
Across from her, Aisha smiled a little wider before settling back with her   
own menu. Occasionally she would look over the top at the elegant woman she was   
sharing the table with. As usual, she felt a slight stab of envy toward the   
woman. She always projected such an aura of confidence and grace that Aisha   
sometimes wished she could have. Suppressing a sigh, the catwoman glanced back   
down to her menu, briefly wondering if this was such a good idea after all.  
  
****  
  
OUTSIDE BLUE HEAVEN  
ONE HOUR LATER  
  
As she promised, an hour later Aisha and her reluctant partner were   
bundled up in space suits, helmets resting beside them, and on there way in one   
of Blue Haven's small asteroid runners. Built to find asteroids with metals and   
ice, the small range space craft commonly referred to as sleds are not the most   
comfortable of craft for the pilot, let alone passengers. A fact both women were   
experiencing first hand as they tightly held the handgrips to keep from floating   
away in freefall. Their meal having been eaten in silence, with the exception of   
Aisha's 'vigorous' eating habits, the two women waited by the small craft docks   
for Taki's sled driver, an old man named Kuan, to finish fueling his craft.  
"Ya ready back dar?" Kuan's voice called over the intercom, "Ah'm o'er da   
drop point."  
Aisha was a second behind Suzuka in getting her helmet on and sealed,   
seeing her fitted, Suzuka hit the bulkhead behind her with the metal pipe Kuan   
had given them for the purpose of signaling when they were ready.  
"All's rig't 'en." He called back. "G'luk!" With that, the floor hatch   
opened, showing a small asteroid five meters below them. Letting go, the two   
women used maneuvering thrusters to drop to the rock. The sled, doors already   
closing, was pulling away almost before they cleared it.  
  
Inside the cockpit, Kuan smiled to himself as he angled the sled back   
toward the docks. "I hope Mistress Taki was right about you two ladies." He   
said, all trace of the rough spacers speech gone, "I'll be watching for your   
signal. Be careful."  
  
****  
  
It took almost an hour for Suzuka to find an asteroid similar to the one   
Taki had told them about. During that hour, she reminded herself exactly why it   
was she hated space walks. She signaled Aisha, once again cursing that the suit   
had no radios, over from the other side of the floating rock they were on and   
together expended the last of their fuel on the jump to the likely rock holding   
the base of Heaven's Vengeance.   
According to the small display on her left arm, she had about fifteen   
minutes of air left. Suzuka narrowed her eyes and frowned, they needed to find   
his base soon or else signal for pick up and abandon the entire job. The idea of   
abandoning a job did not sit well with the dark-haired woman so she pushed the   
countdown to the back of her mind and focused on the rockscape before her.  
Aisha looked around absently while she kept an eye on Suzie, she knew the   
Human woman was in excellent physical shape, but she had to be nearing the end   
of her oxygen supply. Aisha wasn't concerned about herself, after all, Catarl   
Catarl were immortal, Suzie wasn't. That weird Taki woman would probably not   
like it if Suzie died. She wasn't sure if she read things correctly back at the   
Jade Serpent between Suzie and that Taki girl, but it looked like they were   
mates, or something.  
Human relationships always confused Aisha, they would say they liked   
someone when their scents clearly said otherwise and acted contrary to what they   
say. She had heard something about same gender relationships not being approved   
of for some reason, but she failed to see why. If two people liked each other   
what was wrong with them getting together? Among the Catarl Cartarl, if two   
wished to become mates, they only had to ask the others parents and that was   
that. Offspring could be worked out later through either medical assistance or   
an intermediary of the family if the two could not do so themselves.  
Aisha sighed and shook her head, she would never understand Humans.  
  
****  
  
A large man sat back in a red, velvet chair, his thick hands stroking the   
hair of the scantily clad woman sitting on the floor beside him as he watched a   
monitor showing the surface of his abode. A whimsical smile crossed his features   
as he observed the two suited figures stumble around, looking for an entrance.  
"Oh, we have guests! How nice."  
"Two humanoids Master," another woman called from her kneeling position by   
the sensor panel. "A Human and a Catarl Catarl, both female" The man perked up   
at that.  
"A Catarl Catarl woman? Oh goodie, I don't have one of those in my   
collection! Where is the nearest entrance to her?"  
"Sector 5 Master." The woman replied promptly. "Do you wish me to send a   
security force to retrieve her?" The man blinked at the woman momentarily, still   
smiling, before looking back to the screen, a malevolent glint in his eyes.  
"No, open the rock face; I want to see if she can get here on her own. If   
she does, lead her into the Chamber."  
"Yes Master, what do you want done with the Human female?" The man smiled   
brightly.  
"I have enough Human women, kill her."  
"Yes Master." She nodded and typed at the board before her. The man   
climbed to his feet and, in powerful strides, crossed behind her. The woman   
shuddered slightly as she felt his hand on her shoulder.  
"Such a good Muse." He whispered near her ear. "Come to my rooms in five   
minutes and show me how much you care for me."  
"Yes Master." She said simply. Somewhere inside her head, the woman once   
known as Inspector Rashel, screamed and pounded at the walls that once were her   
mind. Muse 28 blinked and shook her head before passing her station to Muse 15;   
she needed to please her Master, and being late was not the way to do it.  
  
****  
  
Aisha was starting to get worried; Suzie had stumbled five times in the   
last twenty minutes and was walking unsteadily. The Catarl warrior was sure her   
air had run out but, being the naturally stubborn Human that she was, Suzie had   
not asked for help. Pressing her lips together, Aisha strode up behind the dazed   
assassin and slipped one of her arms over her shoulder. The helmeted head turned   
to her in surprise and Aisha narrowed her eyes at the face inside it. Suzie was   
pale and her eyes were dilating, Aisha didn't even think she could she where she   
was going.  
"That's it," She told Suzie, even though she knew the other woman wouldn't   
hear, "We're pulling out of here now." As she reached for the beacon clipped to   
Suzie's waist, her other hand lifted to point unsteadily to the left.  
Aisha looked to where Suzie was pointing, her eyes widened at the metal   
airlock set back into a rock face, all but invisible between it's recessed   
position and the lack of light on it.  
"Huh, okay Suzie, you win." She conceded, nearly dragging her companion to   
the airlock. She blinked at the control panel in confusion for a few seconds,   
wondering what the code could be. An increase of weight on her side caused her   
heart to speed up as she turned to Suzie.  
"Oh crap!" She swore, Suzie's face was an unhealthy blue and it did not   
look like she was breathing. "Aggghhh! I don't have time to find any stupid   
code!" Aisha lifted Suzie up and set her beside the airlock. She crouched and   
pulled her fist back. With a blood curling howl, her fist shot forward with   
enough power to snap this stupid door like tinfoil...  
...and passed right under the lifting door, causing Aisha to stumble in   
and fall on her face with a startled cry. She pushed herself back up with a   
quick shake of her head.  
"Neow?" She looked around, the airlock was empty and no one was on the   
other side so... how'd it open? She decided to worry about that later, she   
turned and pulled Suzie into the airlock, noticing as she did, that the   
assassin's elbow had been resting on the open button of the panel. Aisha looked   
blankly at the panel then at Suzie for a few seconds before screaming:  
"THAT WAS ALL THERE WAS TO IT?!?" Grumbling darkly under her breath she   
hit the close-and-cycle button and waited as air filled the room. She tossed her   
helmet to the ground and quickly removed Suzie's. Aisha bit her lip in worried   
confusion upon seeing Suzie lay there, unbreathing still.  
"C'mon Suzie, you got air here, why don't you breathe?" She worried her   
hands on the suit; unmindful that she was ripping it to shreds as she tried to   
think of was to get her friend breathing again.  
"Agghh! Damn it! Why didn't I pay attention to Jim when he was taking   
about first aid?" When the last of her suit fell to the ground, Aisha suddenly   
remembered that one thing Jim told her about, Seapeare or something like that.   
She looked at Suzie's mouth with a faint blush as she lowered her own to her   
friends.  
  
****  
  
"Imouto-chan? Can you hear me?"  
There was a bright light in her eyes and someone was speaking to her, why   
couldn't they let her sleep? It was Sunday; she didn't have any training with   
Okaa-san today.  
"Come on Suza-chan. You listen to your sister now; you don't want me to   
get Okaa-san do you?"  
Wait... That voice, she shouldn't be hearing it should she?  
"You should practice your forms little one, you don't want Hitoriga-san to   
beat you do you?"  
A voice, laughing with amusement, one she hadn't heard in so many years...  
"Ane-san?"  
"That's right. Wake up now Suza-chan."  
She opened her eyes, the smiling face and twinkling violet eyes of her   
elder sister, Rei was hovering over hers. Seeing her eyes open, Rei smiled wider   
and sat back.  
"About time imouto-chan, I was wondering if you were planning to sleep all   
day." Suzuka sat up; she recognized the room as her old one she used to share   
with her sister before...  
"Ane-san? But, you died..."  
Rei smiled softly and smoothed the hair back from her ten-year old sister.  
"I know Suza-chan, but you avenged me. You avenged us all, but it's over   
now."  
Suza-chan sighed and looked at her bed mat, a strange feeling filling her   
heart.  
"I'm dead, aren't I?" Rei's smile faded as she sighed, gathering Suza-chan   
in her arms.  
"Dose that bother you?" She asked softly. Suza-chan gazed at her small   
hands, hands that had never taken a life, that wasn't stained with blood. She   
was innocent again, she should be happy shouldn't she? So what was missing?  
*Whoa. That's a big stick you got there. Wanna see mine? Hahaha...Ow!*   
...Gene.  
*Oh, hello Suzuka-san. Your tea is on the table already.* ...Melfina.  
*Hey Suzuka. I just need to ask what supplies you want me to get for you.*   
...Jim.  
*Come on Suzie! It'll be fun!* ...Aisha.  
"My friends..." She whispered. Rei chuckled softly.  
"Always loyal huh? Just like my little Suza-chan. Nothing has changed   
that, not even what you had to do to find him."  
"Rei-anesan, thank you for understanding and for forgiving me." A bright   
laugh, one she had so missed, so full of life's energy filled a room suddenly   
too bright, she couldn't see. Where..?  
"You certainly took your time, huh itooshi?" A forest grove at springtime,   
the flowers were in bloom. Those flowers always were a favorite of...  
"Maya?" The smirking blonde was sitting on a branch above her. With a   
smile, she dropped in front sixteen-year-old Suzuka and pulled her in a hug.  
"Who else? Now we can be together forever! Ain't it so cool?"  
"Maya-koi." Eternity with her first love. Why didn't it feel...right?  
*Suza-chan! Welcome to my new place. I'm going to call it the Jade   
Serpent.* ...Taki.  
*Hey Suzie! Let's go see that ice cream place that just opened!* ...Aisha?  
"I'm... I'm sorry Maya... I..." A finger placed on her lips cuts her off.  
"Don't be my dear one. I will wait for you. And your loved one." She   
smiled and winked. "In fact, you had better keep me waiting a long time, you   
hear?"  
"Maya... ai shiteru." The blonde smiled and leaned in to kiss Suzuka one   
last time, as she closed her eyes.  
"Okay musume-chan, you can look now." A kind voice, one worn by time but   
still beautiful to hear. Suzuka opened her eyes to see the dojo she spent so   
many years in. There was a mannequin in front of her, a white kimono, cut to   
allow ease of movement was draped over it. She recognized it. It had been   
hanging in the closet of her...  
"Okaa-san! I can't take this from you!"  
"Nonsense." Hitomi told her seventeen-year-old daughter. "I wore it to my   
mastery test and I now want you too. It's still in good shape, it'll see a good   
many years before it gives out." The elderly matron smiled at her heir. "Maybe   
someday you'll give it to your daughter hmm?" Suzuka blushed, how was she to   
tell her mom...?  
"Oh relax little one. I know about Maya, bring her over tomorrow."  
Unconditional love, even knowing what she will be doing. She could stay   
here... right?  
*Yo Suzie! You coming?* Aisha...  
"Okaa-san..." She smiled at her daughter, and no more words need to be   
said, except...  
"I will always be proud of you musume-chan, no matter what." A swirl of   
wind tore the dojo away, leaving a black plain, a faint glow over the far   
horizon. Her family was waiting for her, but they would wait for as long as she   
needed. Others needed her now. SHE needed her now. Suzuka closed her eyes and   
took a deep breath. Twilight Suzuka opened her eyes with a soft smile before she   
started to run toward the light.  
"Hold on Aisha, I'm coming. Don't start the fun without me."  
  
****  
  
Aisha wasn't sure how long she had been breathing for Suzie as well as   
herself when Suzie coughed and began to awaken. She sat back with a bright smile   
and her ears perked up happily while she waited for Suzie to get up.  
"A... Aisha? Where are we?"  
"In that dorks' base. Are you tryin' to kill yourself Suzie? Really,   
letting your oxygen run out without telling me." The catwoman sat back with her   
arms crossed under her breasts and an indignant expression on her face. Suzuka   
looked at her companion with a slightly bemused look and smiled softly. Aisha   
cut off her scolding when she caught sight of the strange look in her friends'   
eyes.  
"Uh... Suzie?" She wasn't really sure what she was asking but Suzuka's   
eyes seemed to fill her awareness.  
"I'm sorry Aisha." Amazing, Suzuka thought. I never really noticed her   
eyes before...  
Aisha tried to keep the blush off her face by clearing her throat and   
standing up, once again hiding behind the mask of the tough girl. "Well, just   
make sure it doesn't happen again. The others would never let me hear the end of   
it if I let you die. Now then," Comfortably behind her mask again, she turned   
back to Suzuka with a smirk. "Are we gunna get this guy or are we gunna sit here   
all day?" Suzuka smiled as she got up, already shedding the suit to reveal her   
normal kimono beneath.  
"I am ready." She told the warrior. That was stupid Suzuka; she thought to   
herself, you know she's not going to be interested. All you did was make her   
uncomfortable with you. She quietly sighed as she picked her bokken up, glad   
that, like Gene, Aisha failed to look at it too closely before giving it back.  
The hall beyond the airlock was plain, double-wide metal and, more   
importantly, deserted. Both women ran silently down the passage, keeping an eye   
out for opposition.  
  
****  
  
"They are proceeding down corridor 12, Master." Another of his Muses   
reported.  
The man turned his attention away from Rashel's brilliant red hair to   
smile lazily at the woman. "'They?' I thought I said to kill the Human woman. No   
matter, send a dozen Angels to take care of it and bring my new girl to see the   
Professor."  
"Yes Master."  
  
****  
  
Aisha heard the noise first, an almost silent hiss of pneumatics that   
heralded a mechanical construct. "Hold up Suzie," She said, stopping and   
crouching in her ready stance. "We got the welcome wagon comin' our way."  
Suzuka stopped instantly, her bokken snapping before her. "How many?"  
Aisha's ear twitched as she tried to sort the sounds out. "Umm... I'd say   
at least seven, probably more." Suzuka smiled grimly and nodded.  
"No problem."  
They both stood ready, waiting for their new playmates to show up. They   
didn't have long to wait. A few seconds later, a seven foot humanoid robot   
stepped around the up coming turn with its' characteristic steady tread. It   
turned its bulky body, thick with armor and spikes, toward them, the red glow of   
its eyes focusing on the two intruders. With an equally steady tread, more   
robots stepped into view; soon the corridor before them was filled with a dozen   
robots. The two groups stood still, gazing at the other until a silent message   
was passed, and then they charged each other.  
  
  
  
Suzuka ran at the lead robot and with a slight gathering of her chi, threw   
a pressure wave at it through the wooden sword. The first robot stumbled   
backward, its front platting shattered and internal workings sparking and   
useless. The robot behind pushed it out of the way and continued forward. A roar   
was her only warning before Aisha shot past her, claws tearing the metal   
plating, hair and tail streaming behind her. The felinoid warrior landed in the   
between three of them and disappeared in a whirlwind of claws. The robots jerked   
about, holes appearing in even lines of four all over their frames.  
One of the machines raised an arm and a blade, the edges invisible behind   
the ultrasonic field around it, and sliced at Aisha. A shower of sparks fell as   
it met Suzuka. Suzuka smirked at the machine before pushing it back and   
delivering four rapid slices before turning her back on the new pile of scrap. A   
blur passed overhead as a furious Catarl Catarl warrior clamped her arms around   
another's head and, with only the slightest effort, ripped the offending object   
off. The assassin smiled and to herself and, with the path before her cleared,   
spun her blade in a complex series of movements before thrusting forward with a   
defiant cry. From the point of her sword, a ripple spread out and down the   
corridor, buckling metal and throwing shrapnel into three of the remaining   
robots optics and through their bodies.  
Almost before the wave faded, Aisha and Suzuka were on the remaining   
three. Aisha punched into the chest of the one closest to her, lifted the robot   
and tossed it at the second as Suzuka jumped and removed the final ones head   
with a lightning fast strike. Both women gave the other a self satisfied smirk   
as the last of the robots fell with a hollow 'clang.'  
  
****  
  
"Amazing! Truly a force of nature! I must have her!" The man was almost   
beside himself in eagerness.  
"Easy Gabriel, we must move with caution, yes, yes caution, that's it."  
Gabriel, the self-styled Vengeance of Heaven, turned to the skinny human   
man behind him with a growl.  
"I must have her Professor; I don't care what you must do to make it   
happen. You know our deal just as well as I"  
The Professor nodded and pushed his glasses back in place and turned,   
leaving the control room.  
  
****  
  
"Say Suzie,"  
"How many times must I tell you to not call me that infantile nickname?"  
"Whatever Suzie! Anyways, where'd you learn that last attack you did? The   
one that ripped up the corridor." Suzuka sighed and glanced at the shorter woman   
beside her. Having passed the dozen security robots, the pair had looked about.   
Most of the rooms were only storage spaces for various supplies, enough to keep   
the station self-sufficient for a couple of years depending on how many people   
were aboard. They finally found an elevator down and were waiting for it to stop   
when Aisha asked.  
"If you must know, it's a move my mother taught me when I was younger. I   
don't use it too much because it only really works in close quarters."  
"But we've been in plenty of close combat before." Aisha pried.  
"Yes, and usually close to the skin of a ship or station. If the passage   
broke, we would have lost atmosphere." Suzuka bluntly replied, wishing she would   
drop it.  
"Oh..." Aisha nodded and remained silent just long enough for Suzuka to   
think she was done. "You've never said anything about your mom before. What was   
she like?"  
Suzuka's knuckles tightened on her sword as she tried to form a reply. She   
was saved from an answer by the arrival of the lift however, and she gratefully   
grasped the opportunity.  
"Come on, we don't have time for useless chatter." Aisha pouted for a   
second before entering behind Suzuka.  
The lift deposited the two women at the end of a short hallway, two sets   
of doors on either side and a set of double doors at the end of the hall lead to   
other rooms. Unlike the halls above, this one had deep red carpeting, wooden   
panels and soft lighting giving it a much homier feel. Aisha raised a brow.  
"Nice. Someone likes his creature comforts." Suzuka nodded and stepped   
out, bokken at the ready.  
As they moved slowly down the hall, the doors to their right opened.   
Suzuka sliced at it as she swung about to face the doorway, Aisha already   
waiting for something to come out. When nothing emerged, the two cautiously   
approached the arch. Pressing themselves flat against the wall, they made eye   
contact with the other and, with a sharp nod, dashed into the room and away from   
the door.  
Suzuka stood and moved her gaze over the various shelves and tables,   
trying to pierce the gloom in the back of the room. Aisha had barely made it in   
before she had a hand over her nose.  
"Ewww... This place smells terrible!" Suzuka blinked at her friend and   
sniffed.  
"Laboratory disinfectant. Unpleasant, but hardly to the degree you're   
making it out to."  
"Quiet Suzie! You don't have my sense of smell."  
"Yes, yes, quite right. The Human sense of smell dose not equal that of a   
Catarl Catarl. No, no it does not."  
Both women looked at the source of the voice as he emerged from the   
shadows in the back of the room. Suzuka's eyes widened at the figure, taking in   
his dark skin, white hair and wide eyes.  
"Professor Khan?!?"  
  
  
  
Mirai-Phoenix Presents  
-Outlaw Star: At First Glance-  
Part One: Ghosts of Yesteryear  
  
Cast  
(in order of appearance)  
  
Gene Starwind  
James Hawking  
Melfina  
Twilight Suzuka  
Aisha Clanclan  
Taki  
Kuan  
Gabriel  
Inspector Rashel  
Rei  
Maya  
Hitomi  
Professor Gwen Khan  
  
  
With the Assistance of  
Blue Haven Approach  
  
And  
The staff and patrons of  
  
The Jade Serpent  
  
  
Special Effects by  
Your-Brain-On-Drugs  
  
Distributed by  
Shoujo-ai.com  
And  
Fanfiction.net  
  
The story will continue in  
-Outlaw Star: At First Glance-  
Part Two: Hearts and Mind  
  
See you then! 


	2. Hearts and Minds

Among warriors, a weakness should remain hidden, or it will be   
exploited.  
But what is weakness? What one calls a weakness, another will   
see as a source of strength.  
Aisha Clanclan, a proud warrior of the Catarl Catarl, has her   
own ideas of weakness and strength. Shaped by a fierce and arrogant   
society, her beliefs influence all of her actions with others. She   
presents the image of a strong warrior while keeping her fears   
inside.  
What do you do when a warrior's spirit is just not enough?  
  
OUTLAW STAR: AT FIRST GLANCE  
PART TWO   
HEARTS AND MINDS  
  
HEAVENS VENGEANCE  
OUTSIDE BLUE HEAVEN  
  
"Professor Khan?!?"  
Mere hours ago, the assassin known as Twilight Suzuka and the   
Catarl Catarl warrior Aisha Clanclan entered the base of the criminal   
known as 'Heavens Vengeance' hidden in the asteroid field around the   
space station Blue Heaven. After reviving Suzuka, who had run out of   
oxygen on her suit, the two women encountered a dozen combat robots   
sent to stop them. The robots proved to be less of a hindrance in   
their path and more of a good warm-up. In the depths of the base,   
they had found what appeared to be a laboratory, inside was someone   
they had assumed... well, not dead exactly, but definitely no longer   
in the physical realm.  
"A pleasure to see you again my dears, yes, yes a pleasure."   
Suzuka frowned at the scientist.  
"Skip the pleasantries Khan. What are you doing here? Gene said   
you were in the Galactic Leyline's library." Khan smiled and nodded.  
"Yes, yes. The library, that was it. So much information there,   
but no way to test the new ideas I had, no, no way at all. So I   
returned to this place and Gabriel was kind enough to allow me the   
chance to experiment if I aided him a little, yes, yes that is it."   
Kahn smiled at the two women and nodded his head to Aisha. "Speaking   
of him, Gabriel expressed an interest in you my dear. Said he was   
quite looking forward to meeting you, yes, yes he was."  
Aisha growled and narrowed her eyes, "I don't think so. The   
only way I'll meet him is when I take him in for our bounty." Khan   
nodded, unsurprised at the woman's response.  
"I thought as much, as much as I distain the use of violence,"   
An electric click sounded through out the room and two devices on   
tracks in the ceiling slid into view. The bottom opened and a   
cylinder, capped by a dish, swung out to point at the two. "If you   
cause no problems, you shall not be harmed."  
Aisha hunched down and growled deeper, preparing to launch   
herself at the scientist. The ends of the weapons snapped to focus on   
her, arcs of electricity going down their lengths. A part of her mind   
noted them, but she was confident Khan had nothing that could hurt   
her. Just before she lunged, however, a white blur ran in front of   
her. The devices changed targets and fired. Bolts of dark purple   
lightning slammed into Suzuka, throwing her back into the wall with   
only a soft, surprised gasp from the assassin before she slumped to   
the ground.  
"Suzie!" Aisha twirled back to Khan and lunged, just as pain   
exploded along her body as the lightning guns fired at her. Claws   
scraping the floor platting, Aisha tried to get to her target though   
the lightning storm. As her vision finally faded, she vowed to make   
the man pay for hurting Suzie.  
Khan looked at the two women thoughtfully before turning to the   
lightning projectors.  
"Hmmm...the Catarl took a much higher voltage then was   
anticipated, yes much higher." He looked at Aisha with raised brows   
before shaking his head, "A shame I will not get the chance to run   
tests on her now." The scientists sighed in resignation as two combat   
robots entered the lab, each taking a woman in a different direction.   
Khan smiled to himself as they left before heading after one.  
  
***  
  
"So this is the great Twilight Suzuka?"  
"Yes, Master."  
The words slowly made their way through the stuffiness within   
Suzuka's head as she became aware of her surroundings.  
"She is said to be the greatest sword-wielder in known space?"  
"Yes, Master."  
She focused on the voices without giving any sign that she was   
conscious. One, the one who was actually speaking, was male; gruff   
and deep with a touch of madness. The other was a great deal softer   
and distinctly feminine. Quite a pleasant voice, she thought if she   
would say more then two words that is.  
"I will defiantly look forward to killing her with my blade."  
"Yes, Master."  
That will be the day, Suzuka thought, just keep talking fool, I   
will wipe the floor with you. However, there was the sound of   
footfalls on steel, followed by the hiss of a door opening and   
closing. Suzuka's eyes opened to an empty room, steel walls unbroken   
except for a door and two small vents. Suzuka easily slid into a   
seiza and contemplated her situation. There was no sign of Aisha, her   
sword or an obvious way out. The assassin smiled slightly, she had   
been in worse.   
As she was running plans through her head, the door opened,   
revealing a poorly disguised Melfina. Suzuka blinked in honest   
confusion before realizing the girl just looked a lot like the shy   
navigator, with the exception of the shock of red hair on her head.   
The girl wore little more then a gold bikini with slippers on her   
feet. She hesitated on seeing the assassin awake before entering the   
cell.  
"You're already awake? The Professor said you would be out for   
more then an hour." Suzuka raised a brow a coldly regarded the girl.   
She fidgeted nervously under her gaze for several seconds before   
speaking again, this time in a rush.  
"Please you must help me leave here. I am a Security agent of   
Blue Heaven. I need to get back and report my findings."  
"And the reason you can't do this yourself is...?" The girl   
winced and lowered her head, shame coloring her cute features.  
"I'm supposed to be one of his almost mindless sex dolls."  
Suzuka nodded, her face expressionless, as she ruthlessly   
pushed down her sympathy, at lest for now. "And the reason you are   
not?"  
"We thought something like this would happen, two of the   
incidents connected to Gabriel involved brainwashed civilians." The   
redhead looked at Suzuka, tears glistening unshed in her eyes. "I   
received hypnoses before taking the job, once I was inside and   
'converted', I would be just like the others until I saw a way out.   
At that point, the hypnoses would restore my mind to me and I was to   
escape."  
Suzuka's eyes focused intently on the girl's for several   
seconds before she nodded. "Take me to my sword and my partner."  
  
***  
  
Suzuka followed the girl, who finally introduced herself as   
Inspector Rashel, through the maze that was the upper level of   
Gabriel's base. After reacquiring her bokken, the dark-haired woman   
felt a great deal more confident on their chances of success. Now all   
she had to worry about was getting Aisha.  
"Through here." Rashel said, opening a door and waking the   
assassin through.  
She nodded and stepped into the room, and saw that she had been   
set-up. The man was not terribly tall, about the same as Gene's   
friend Fred, but he was very well muscled. As was evidenced by his   
lack of a shirt, just a leather strap holding a sword sheathed to his   
back. Fur lined leather boots had a simple pair of black pants tucked   
into them. The man's smile was wide and his green eyes sparkled with   
insanity.  
"I have brought her as you requested Master." Rashel blandly   
spoke, the life that was in her voice before gone. He smiled at the   
girl and nodded, as though to a pet that had pleased its owner.  
"Very good 23. Leave now, and have this recorded." He commanded   
her be for giving Suzuka a wink. "I may want to watch this again."   
Suzuka watch Rashel leave from the corner of her eye before focusing   
on the man in front of her.   
"A very convincing story you had her tell." Suzuka said,   
mentally reading herself.  
Gabriel's smile widened. "It wasn't a story," he informed her.   
"She really is an inspector for Blue Heaven. The only part that was   
false was her 'release key.'"  
Suzuka frowned as Gabriel drew his blade, the light reflected   
off the polished steel of the European-style long sword. She raised   
her bokken and slid a foot forward, facing him and waiting. The door   
slid shut behind Rashel as Gabriel started to circle his prey, the   
metal blade lazily spinning around him.  
"I have heard of you, Suzuka." He told her pleasantly, "You're   
the best assassin in the business and master with a blade. I have   
wondered how long you would last against me."  
"Not too long I'm afraid," Suzuka smirked, "You probably won't   
even be a decent work-out." The smile vanished from the terrorist's   
face as he charged forward with a snarl of animal fury.  
Suzuka stepped back and brought her bokken up to parry the   
uncontrolled blow. She shifted their still locked blades left,   
overextending his reach. Suzuka spun as fast as she could while   
dropping to one knee, bringing her bokken cutting across the man's   
exposed stomach before jumping back. Gabriel grunted, a thin line of   
blood appearing, and brought his sword back into position before   
thrusting at the just landed woman. The wooden blade slapped the   
steel one off-target but Gabriel was prepared this time, as his   
momentum carried him closer, he lifted a knee into Suzuka's side,   
knocking the air out of her.  
Leaning with the blow to try to minimize the damage, Suzuka   
staggered back, deflecting another blow from the sword as she   
retreated. Gabriel allowed her to back away with a smirk as he   
twirled his sword.  
"It seems this 'work-out' is a bit much for you. Not as easy as   
you thought it would be, hmmm?" Suzuka glared at the man before   
snapping her blade diagonally up, sending a shockwave at the sneering   
terrorist, and following in its wake.  
Gabriel held his sword up allowing the wave crashing against   
its length without effect, then dropped into a thrust stance. The   
blade flashed golden before a sphere of energy slammed into Suzuka,   
sending her tumbling to the sound of Gabriel's cold laughter.  
"What's the matter Suzuka? I thought you were the best." He   
continued to laugh as Suzuka picked herself up.  
Her eyes narrowed, Suzuka studied Gabriel briefly before   
smiling. "It's been awhile since I've had to use the advanced   
techniques mother taught me," she thought. "Time to show this   
arrogant male the full power of the Dark Blade school." Suzuka stood   
tall, her blade pointing at the ground beside her and a small smile   
on her lips. Gabriel stopped laughing and blinked in mild puzzlement.   
With a deep roar of displaced air, Suzuka ran at him, covering the   
distance in a heartbeat.  
Suzuka slashed upwards at close to the sound barrier, fully   
expecting to see Gabriel fall over on both sides. However, the steel   
blade intercepted the wooden blade, forcing Gabriel back several   
feet, but leaving him unharmed. The swordswoman frowned briefly   
before starting an attack at the same speed as the previous one. As   
each strike was blocked with increasing ease, Suzuka felt a cold ball   
settle within her.   
There was another flash of gold, and suddenly Suzuka found   
herself on the defensive against attacks that moved even faster then   
hers had. She pulled back, hoping to get some breathing room when a   
thrust broke her guard. Pain flared in her arm as Gabriel's sword   
pierced it. Taking advantage of his opponent's lapse, Gabriel lashed   
out with a vicious kick, throwing her back against the wall with a   
resounding crack before she slumped to her hands and knees.  
Through pain-blurred vision, Suzuka saw Gabriel walk toward   
her, his blade still red with her blood. It took her several seconds   
to realize her was speaking.  
"...ka, Suzuka, Suzuka. What a disappointment, but don't take   
it too badly, your skills were very impressive." He smiled   
condescendingly at her, "But in the end, they just weren't enough.   
Unsurprising really, after all," Gabriel held his blade before him   
and smiled at it, "you don't have a weapon like this."  
Suzuka's eyes went wide as a golden light enveloped the blade,   
seeing it and finally noticing it, she gasped. "A Soul Edge?"  
Gabriel looked impressed as he nodded. "Quite. I am very   
surprised that you know how to tell, the last Soul Edge vanished more   
then two hundred years ago." The whimsical smile retuned to his face,   
"It is very fortuitists that the Professor learned how to make them   
where ever it was he was at." Like a switch, his smile vanished and   
he raised the blade. "Enough talk! Twilight Suzuka, now you die."  
Golden light filled her vision as the blade descended.  
  
***  
  
Aisha opened her eyes slowly and gently shook her head to try   
to relieve the pounding. Focusing on her surroundings, she was   
surprised to find herself on the Outlaw Star just outside of the   
bridge. A deep hum, felt more then heard, filled the passageway,   
telling her the ship was traveling through sub-ether. She entered the   
bridge to find Gene, Jim and Melfina piloting the ship.  
"Hey guys!" She called, "What's going on?"  
Silence answered her as the other three continued as though she   
had said nothing.  
"Um... Gene?" Aisha waved a hand an inch from the pilot's eyes   
with no response from him.  
"Say Gene," Jim started, "You never did say what you wanted   
done with Aisha's stuff." Gene looked up from his controls and   
shrugged.  
"Space it. It's not like we need them." Aisha blinked and   
looked at Gene in shock.  
"What?! Hey that's my stuff!" Jim nodded.  
"Gotch ya. It sure is nice around here without her isn't it?"  
"Jim?" Aisha looked at the boy in disbelief.  
"No kidding," Gene nodded. "That stupid animal was quite the   
pain. Maybe now we can get our jobs done correctly."  
"H-hey..."  
"Yes," Melfina agreed cheerfully, "And now I won't have to   
worry about buying new dishes whenever she ruins them with one of her   
so-called 'meals.'"  
"Mel? Wha...?"  
"So Jim," Gene asked, "What is this major job you got for us   
anyway?"  
Jim turned around and gave the red-haired man a wide grin. "Oh   
I think you'll like it." He told them, "We get to hunt down the   
Catarl Catarl race. Galactic Senate placed a bounty on every member;   
soon the 'great Catarl Catarl Empire' will be nothing more then a bad   
memory."  
"Alright!" Gene pumped a fist. "We're finally getting rid of   
the damn cats." The three laughed and returned to their jobs with new   
cheer as Aisha stared at them, her mouth open as she slowly backed   
into the corridor.  
As the doors closed behind her, Aisha turned and ran to the   
back of the ship. She found Suzuka sitting at the galley table,   
nursing a cup of tea.  
"Suzie! Please tell me you can hear me!"  
The assassin did not respond with words, but she did look up at   
the catwoman with a raised eyebrow. Aisha almost fell over in relief.  
"You gotta help me," She ran to the table and grabbed her arm.   
"The others are talking crazy and are pretending they can't see or   
hear me!"  
Suzuka looked at Aisha in silence for a few seconds before   
turning back to her tea and finishing it. She rose to her feet and   
walked to the sink, Aisha watched her with a sinking sensation. As   
the tall woman rinsed her cup out, she finally spoke.  
"Of course they can't hear you Aisha. You are dead after all."  
"Huh? Dead? How?"  
"Like this!" Aisha turned around at the voice to see Gene, his   
Caster pointed at her and a small black sphere just in front of it.   
The sphere shot forward at Aisha and black lightning wrapped around   
her form. Aisha screamed as she felt her body pulled in to the orb.   
The pain suddenly ended and she staggered back as her vision cleared.   
Gene was standing by the door, Caster on his shoulder and a satisfied   
smile on his face, he stood there for a few more seconds before   
turning around and leaving. Suzuka followed him, but turned at the   
door to look at Aisha once more.  
"What? Did you actually think any of us could love something   
like you?"  
Aisha feel to her knees, absently noting that she could see   
through her body, as thought she was a hologram... or a ghost. Suzuka   
gave the fallen warrior a final, contemptuous, glance before leaving   
the galley. Aisha held out a shacking hand to her retreating form.  
"Suzie? Suzuka? Please don't leave me!"  
A change in the ships hum, the rising of her neck hairs and the   
sudden sense of dread, was her only warning as the walls of the   
Outlaw Star vanished, replaced by blackness. A blackness cut by a   
single cold and unforgiving voice.  
"Aisha Clanclan."  
She slowly turned her head in the direction of the voice. As   
she turned, the darkness pulled back. High walls of stone, going up   
more then a hundred feet with long tapestries of the eighteen Clan's   
sigils surrounded her. Before the walls were tiers seating her   
people, all of whom were gazing at her without expression. At the far   
end of the hall, before a great statue of the god of the Catarl   
Catarl, stood an imposing podium of bloodstone, the Great Sigil of   
the Empire carved into it. Gazing at her over crossed hands was a   
blonde male Catarl Catarl warrior in the robes of a Judicator and   
blue tattoos on his face similar too... Aisha gasped as she looked   
above the man to the statue behind him, a statue of him.  
"Aisha Clanclan," Rio Larga, God of the Catarl Catarl said   
again, "You have come before me to petition the worthiness of your   
life." Aisha swallowed and rose to her feet, determined not to show   
any weakness.  
"Oh great Rio Larga, god of the Catarl Catarl. I have lived by   
the path you have set for your children and the way of the warrior   
for my life..."  
"Liar!" Aisha started and looked into the tiers for the voice.   
Rio Larga lazily turned his head and acknowledged the speaker.  
"Speak Sylven Greenpath." The tall woman stood and bowed to Rio   
Larga before turning a glare to Aisha.  
"You claim to have followed the way of the warrior, and yet you   
allowed yourself to be seen thusly?!" She waved to the entrance   
behind Aisha and a large image of Aisha in a waitress' uniform   
appeared. The crowd began to mutter, disapproval plain to hear. Aisha   
looked around as she tried to be heard.  
"I had no choice! The worlds outside Catarl Catarl have no   
respect for our abilities or status; I needed money to attain what I   
required!"  
"And so you served the weak Humans food?" Sylven sneered, "Did   
you offer them other 'services' as well?" Aisha flushed as she glared   
at the warrior.  
"No, I did not! What would you've had me do?!" She demanded.   
Sylven adopted a mock thoughtful expression.  
"Oh, I don't know, maybe something like what this one did?" The   
image changed again, to one of Suzuka walking out of the bounty   
collection office. "I believe she traveled with you quite a bit   
recently. Any reason you left the warrior's work to her?" Aisha   
flushed harder but was unable to come up with a reply.  
"Time after time," Sylven continued, "you have allowed this   
human to show you up. A HUMAN! Some representative of the mighty   
Catarl Catarl YOU turned out to be." The muttering in the tiers   
became louder. "Tell us Aisha, why did you let this woman surpass   
you?" Aisha opened her mouth, but nothing would come out. She tried   
again with the same results. Sylven sneered at her, disgust clear in   
her eyes. "I shall tell you why." The blue-haired Catarl Catarl   
looked at those around her, "Honored Ancients, great Rio Larga, the   
one known as Aisha of the House Clanclan feels an attraction to the   
human woman."  
Aisha stood dumbfounded as the room erupted in arguments.   
Numerous Houses turned on the representatives of the House Clanclan   
and demanded how they allowed such a weakness to enter their   
bloodline. As her own family denied her, withdrawing their support   
and casting her from the House, Aisha dared to look at Rio Larga. Her   
god was watching her, paying no mind to the clamoring Ancients.  
Finally, Rio Larga struck the stone podium, the crack echoing   
throughout the chamber, silencing the others. As the last fell quiet,   
the blonde god spoke.  
"Aisha, the charges against you are grave indeed." Aisha   
winced, noticing the lack of family name. "How ever, you can redeem   
your honor." He leaned forward, fixing Aisha with his gaze. "Deny all   
ties to these humans, cast them from your heart and embrace the   
superiority of the Catarl Catarl race once more."  
Aisha lowered her eyes, remaining silent for several seconds.   
When she raised her eyes, tears shimmered within their emerald   
depths. "During my time with them, I have witnessed many amazing   
things and I have been part of epic battles. Their lives have been   
entrusted to me on more then one occasion. Just as mine has been in   
theirs. I can not just let these memories go. I apologize, oh great   
God of the Catarl Catarl, but I can not do as you say."  
Dead silence followed in the wake of Aisha's speech as all eyes   
turned to Rio Larga, awaiting his decision. His face expressionless,   
Rio Larga nodded.  
"You have made your choice Aisha, and I respect your commitment   
to it. But by that choice, you have forsaken the ways of the Catarl   
Catarl." He stood, followed shortly by the rest of the hall. "This is   
the final decision of this court. Aisha, formerly of the House   
Clanclan, you are here by... forgotten." With that, Rio Larga turned   
and left, not once looking back.  
"Forgotten... forgotten... forgotten." The voices of the   
Ancients echoed around her.  
"Forgotten... forgotten... forgotten." Everyone Aisha had ever   
meet appeared before her to speak that one word, until finally, only   
four remained.  
"Forgotten..." Gene left.  
"Forgotten..." Jim left.  
"Forgotten..." Melfina left.  
Suzuka stepped forward and gazed impassively at Aisha before   
she nodded and turned away, her voice hanging in the sudden emptiness   
around her. "Forgotten..."  
  
***  
  
"Forgotten..."  
Professor Khan glanced up from the display he was watching. The   
Catarl Catarl woman was responding well to his treatments. The neural   
interrupt band blocked all sensory data and motor functions save for   
what he allowed. He adjusted the settings slightly and began to move   
to stage two. The main personality has been driven into submission,   
now all he had to do was make a shell identity to satisfy the crude   
barbarian he was allied with. For now anyway.  
A panel chimed for his attention, one that should not have gone   
off. Khan walked to the display, mild curiosity was soon replaced by   
his full attention.  
"My, my. This is a surprise. Yes, yes a surprise." It looked   
like the partnership would be ending sooner then first expected. Khan   
began typing, moving all of his work onto the computer of the small   
craft keep in the launch bay. Through out the base, the remaining   
combat robots stopped their assignments and started to put as much of   
the resources as the ship could hold on.  
On the table behind him, Aisha continued to experience nothing   
as, without the command, stage two never began.  
  
***  
  
There was a flash of golden light, followed by thunder filling   
the room. Gabriel was used to this, it had happened when he killed   
others with Excalibur. So used to it was he, that he didn't see the   
impossible at first. His grin slowly slipped off his face to be   
replaced by total bafflement.  
"This is not possible."  
The Soul Edge Excalibur, it's golden shine of full power   
bathing the room, was being held fast by the flat of a simple wooden   
  
bokken held by an assassin. Suzuka smiled coldly, her eyes glittering   
viciously.  
"Surprise." She surged to her feet, pushing Gabriel onto his   
backside. Suzuka watched as he scrambled backwards, standing straight   
and proud.  
"You said it yourself," She told him as he finally got his feet   
under him. "The last Soul Edge vanished more then two hundred years   
ago." Gabriel rose to his feet slowly as Suzuka reached into her   
kimono. She pulled out a small disc with a hole in the center just   
about the size of...  
Suzuka smiled as she saw the faint glimmerings of understanding   
in his eyes before it was crushed by his insanity and denial. She   
calmly slid the tip thru the hole and down its length until the hilt   
locked into place.  
"A clan of assassins recovered it and swore to keep it safe for   
all time." The wooden sword began to vibrate, cracks appearing on its   
surface, a cool blue-white light emanating from them.  
  
-Rinbu Revolution, Shoujo Kakumei Utena-  
  
"For the last four generations, my family has succeeded in it's   
vow." Suzuka gave him a soft smile, "But I think my ancestors will   
forgive me this once." She held the blade above her head and the last   
of the wood exploded off. "Once more must Masamune shine in this   
universe." Icy light trailed from the polished katana as Suzuka once   
more assumed a ready stance.  
"Round two."   
Gabriel's breathing became loud and heavy as he wiped his   
mouth, focused only on Suzuka, he charged with a wordless sound of   
fury. Suzuka stepped aside and calmly slapped Excalibur away. The two   
Soul Edges meet with a muted thunderclap, a shockwave flashing   
outwards from the point of contact as jagged bolts of energy scored   
the ground.  
Gabriel continued for several steps before spinning and   
bringing his golden blade down in a strike that could cleave a   
starship's hull clean thru. Suzuka deflected it with Murasame and, as   
Excalibur bit into the station floor smoothly, brought it across his   
chest. The sword harness vanished in a burst of pale blue energy as   
she gave Gabriel a two inch cut.   
Suzuka frowned as she saw not blood, but golden light spill   
from the cut. The lores her family had on the Soul Edge said it would   
keep its wielder from harm as long as it had the energy to. She had   
expected the result, Masamune had already healed her own wound after   
all; but she had hoped Professor Khan's version was not as well made.   
It looked like she would have to do this the hard way.  
Reversing the blade, Suzuka blocked another stroke as she moved   
backwards. Gabriel pursued her, hacking all the while. Suzuka studied   
Gabriel's movements as she blocked each strike. A corner of her mind   
absently noted that the two of them were moving incredibly fast. The   
charred remains of Masamune's disguise was still falling from the air   
on the other side of the room. A fragment from the scrolls came back   
to her as she saw this.  
"The wielder of a Soul Edge moves with thought." An idea formed   
in the back of her mind. Suzuka jumped into the air, impossibly high,   
and moved across the room as soon as she willed herself there. Seeing   
the success of her idea, Suzuka turned and waited, every ounce of her   
attention on Gabriel. He was thrown off balance when she had jumped,   
but recovered by the time she turned. Spinning, he saw his target and   
yelled in frustration, Excalibur's glow brightening.  
Suzuka tensed.  
Gabriel held his blade beside him then thrust it forward, a   
sphere of golden energy flashing out of it.  
She moved.  
Almost a decade ago, her family took a student from outside of   
the family. Hitoriga proved to be quite adept at their style, and an   
excellent partner for a young Suzuka. As he trained, Hitoriga became   
obsessed with the beauty always facing him across the dojo floor. He   
envisioned claiming her and making her his, along with the school.   
One day, he followed her to a forest glade, there he saw his woman in   
the arms on another woman. His dreams crushed, Hitoriga wondered the   
forest. Hours later, he saw the other woman alone, and a red haze   
fell over his vision. As the red haze faded a little, he found   
himself back at the school, the blood of her family on his hands.  
When Suzuka discovered what he had done, she developed a single   
attack, designed to kill the one who killed her family. She found the   
chance to use it once, and her family was avenged. Now, she found   
another chance to use it. Boosted by Masamune, Suzuka ran by the   
blast and used Crimson once more.  
Her enhanced senses felt Excalibur try to heal Gabriel, but she   
was already moving again. Spinning and stepping forward, Suzuka   
separated Excalibur from it's wielder, at the elbow. No longer   
connected to a mind, the golden glow faded as Gabriel dropped, the   
life gone from his eyes.  
Behind her, several pieces of wood landed.  
  
***  
  
Crouched among several storage containers, Suzuka watched as   
three combat robots loaded supplies into a small spacecraft. Judging   
by some of the other objects that had been loaded, the assassin   
guessed that Professor Khan was taking his leave of Heaven's   
Vengeance. While she didn't care if that was so or not, the old crack   
pot scientist was the only one who could take her to Aisha, as she   
would be damned if she let him do anything else first.  
The warning came a second before the shot, but with Masamune   
active, that second was enough. Suzuka blocked the energy bolt and   
was already moving at the shooter before she even recognized the   
redhead holding the gun. Pulling her arm back at the last instant,   
the raven haired woman destroyed the pistol instead of Rashel. As the   
woman stumbled back from the exploding gun, Suzuka grabbed her left   
arm and wrenched it behind her back, forcing Rashel to her knees with   
a pained cry.  
Suzuka frowned at the woman, she didn't think any of the women   
that Gabriel had in his little harem would have had enough initiative   
to seek her out. She glanced about, hoping to find something to tie   
the woman up with. Suzuka was again surprised when Rashel's foot   
kicked out, knocking her own out from under her.  
As her arm was released, the former Inspector tried to grab   
Suzuka's neck. She had wasted several minutes after seeing her Master   
killed by this woman before her shell personality decided on a course   
of action, to kill her in return.  
Twisting as she fell, Suzuka saw Rashel's hands reach for her   
neck. Too late to knock them away before she hit the deck, Suzuka   
allowed the slim hands by, grabbing her wrists the second her arms   
finished absorbing the shock form the fall. The assassin was startled   
by the diminutive woman's strength and began to worry when the   
shiatsu points she hit had no effect.  
Desperately trying to get some leverage, Suzuka rolled the two   
of them over. Her vision was starting to fade when there was a flash   
of light, and suddenly, she could breath again. Coughing several   
times, she waited for her vision to return. When it did, she saw   
Rashel sitting against the containers wearing a confused and slightly   
scared expression.  
"Are you okay? I didn't hurt you too badly did I?" The red head   
asked. Suzuka rubbed her throat while studying the other woman before   
finally responding.  
"I will be fine. I take it you no longer wish kill me?" Rashel   
blinked at Suzuka several times before violently shacking her head.  
"No. I... I'm not sure how I was freed, but... no, I don't want   
to kill you."  
"That's nice to know," She replied dryly.  
The two women slowly got to their feet, both looking for signs   
that their brief fight had attracted any unwanted attention. Seeing   
only the robots, still loading the spacecraft, Suzuka relaxed   
slightly before glancing at the floor for Masamune. Seeing the blade   
lying between herself and Rashel, Suzuka looked at it curiously.   
Deciding to shelve her question until a later time, Suzuka lifted the   
katana and turned to Rashel.  
"Do you know where Aisha is?"   
"Aisha is the Catarl Catarl woman with you?" Seeing the raven   
haired woman's nod, Rashel bit her lip. "She's... probably in the   
Professor's lab being... 'conditioned' by him." Suzuka's eyes   
narrowed as thoughts of introducing Khan to some of her families more   
exotic, and painful, methods of killing flitted about her mind.  
"Take me there."  
  
***  
  
Finding the lab doors locked with a code Rashel did not have,   
Suzuka tried one of her own keys. The doors to the lab were bent then   
blasted inwards by the coolly angry assassin and her Soul Edge.   
Marching in, she saw the two lightning casters that had knocked her   
out before aiming at her. As the purple energy lanced toward her, she   
lift Masamune and reflected the bolts right back at the casters. The   
devices buzzed and sparked, the energy coursing along the frames   
before they both detonated in an impressive shower of sparks.  
Rashel blinked and looked at her. She didn't even see the other   
woman's arm move! Recalling what she saw, or rather didn't see, of   
her fight with Gabriel, Rashel swallowed. Seeing the room go from   
clean and polished to cracked, ripped and energy scored, literally,   
in a heartbeat, was a very sobering testament to the power her   
companion possessed.  
"KHAN!" Suzuka's voice echoed within the chamber without   
response.  
Suzuka looked around the darkened room before spotting the door   
on the left wall and heading to it, Rashel hurrying after the   
assassin. The door slide open without complaint, Suzuka was thru it   
before it finished.  
"Aisha!" Seeing the fierce woman laid on the table, her skin   
pale even thru her thin coat of fur, was almost too much of Suzuka.  
She hurried to her side, hand instantly at her neck to check   
for a pulse, as Rashel examined the displays. Suzuka sighed in relief   
upon feeling the soft but steady beat beneath her fingertips. Her   
immediate concern assuaged, Suzuka reached for the visor-like device   
wrapped around Aisha's head.  
"Stop!" Suzuka's hands froze as she looked at Rashel, not   
speaking but clearly wanting an answer.  
"She's still in phase one, but according to these readings..."   
The Inspector trailed off, looking very worried, before she resumed.   
"She's been at the end phase one for almost thirty minutes."  
"What dose phase one mean?" Suzuka demanded.  
"Phase one is personality submergence." Rashel closed her eyes,   
painful memories floating far to close to the surface of her mind   
then she liked. "The subject's ego is undermined, resulting in a near   
comatose state that aids in the formation of a 'shell personality'   
while the core personality has retreated from the outside world."  
Suzuka was impressed with the girl in front of her, she was   
obviously reliving a very painful time, yet it was not interfering   
with her duty. The tall woman walked silently over to Rashel and   
placed a comforting hand her shoulder.  
"How do I stop it?" Rashel shock her head.  
"It's too late, Aisha's personality has been driven to   
submission, if... if we stop it now, she'll be comatose."  
"How can I bring her back then?"  
"The professor... the professor likes... the method he used on   
me was... was being forgotten..."  
"Forgotten?" Rashel nodded.  
"I overheard him telling Mas... um... Gabriel once that   
sentients defined themselves by their interactions with others, the   
only way to truly kill someone was to remove all trace that they   
existed in the first place. In... our case, that was our memories of   
others. Aisha... Aisha is at the end of phase one, she currently   
believes that no one knows her. That is what this machine dose, it   
creates a world based on the... subjects own memories and strips them   
from her, leaving her with nothing."  
"Where is Khan?" Suzuka demanded. Rashel looked around, as thou   
the scientist were hiding in a corner.  
"He should be here, especially if Aisha is in this thing."   
Suzuka walked over to a set of displays.  
"Can you get an image of the hanger?" Rashel looked at the   
keypad and typed a few commands. Soon, the display in front of the   
assassin blinked to life. Rashel looked up after hearing Suzuka swore   
softly. Glancing at the display, she saw why. The ship was gone.  
"The bastard already left!" Rashel hit the counter.  
"A rat always knows when the ship is sinking."  
Suzuka lowered her head; a reflection off Masamune caught her   
eye. Heading back to Aisha, she placed the blade in her hand. Rashel   
looked on silently before finally speaking.  
"What are you doing?" Suzuka sighed and retrieved the blade.  
"Failing, apparently. I think Masamune is what freed you   
earlier."  
Rashel blinked. "The sword freed me?"  
"One of the properties of a Soul Edge is that it heals the one   
touching the handle. When we rolled over, I think you touched it and   
it healed you." Rashel thought about that before nodding  
"That makes sense. But in my case, I was actively fighting   
against the shell personality. It must have found the conflict inside   
me and removed the shell personality. Aisha doesn't have a shell yet   
thou, there was no conflict for it to heal."  
"I know, but I had to try anyway."  
Rashel nodded, bending back to the console and trying to find a   
way to help Aisha.  
Suzuka gazed at the Catarl Catarl woman, her hand slowly   
running thru her white hair. Memories of their times together   
flashing through her mind. As her eyes drifted to the device keeping   
her in a false world, she thought about what Rashel said. Then she   
noticed a second band hung on a hook next to the bed.  
"Rashel..." The red head looked up.  
"Yes?"  
"What if she was told there was someone who remembered her in   
there?" Rashel's eyes narrowed as she thought.  
"It... I suppose that might work... but the program can't be   
altered while it's running." Suzuka faced her, a fire burning in her   
dark gaze.  
"So send me in." She said pointing to the second band.  
  
to be concluded  
  
The story will conclude in  
Outlaw Star: At First Glance  
Part Three: Possessions  
  
See you then! 


End file.
